Suction apparatus and cleaning device having the same

ABSTRACT

A suction apparatus that sucks in air laden with dust and/or foreign substance while moving along a surface to be cleaned and a cleaning device having the same are provided. The suction apparatus includes a suction body, a rotary brush rotatably installed in the suction body, and brushing the dust and/or foreign substance of the surface to be cleaned in rotation, a power transmitting belt disposed in a belt mounting part formed in the suction body, and transmitting a rotating force of motor installed adjacent to the suction body to the rotary brush, and an air circulation part sending air in the belt mounting part to outside to remove a heat produced at the power transmitting belt. The air circulation part removes the heat produced at the power transmitting belt in the belt mounting part.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-100505, filed on Dec. 02, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaning device as a upright type vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a suction apparatus that sucks in air laden with dust and/or foreign substance while moving along a surface to be cleaned and, and a cleaning device having the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, an upright type vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a cleaner body 10 and a suction apparatus 30, as shown in FIG. 1.

The cleaner body 10 is divided into a dust collecting chamber 11 in which a duster filter (not shown) is detachably installed, and a motor chamber 12 in which a motor 25 (see FIG. 2) for providing an inhalation force is installed. The dust collecting chamber 11 is opened and closed by a cover 13.

The suction apparatus 30 is pivotally connected to the cleaner body 10. The suction apparatus 30 has wheels 13 disposed at rear sides thereof so as to be movable along a surface to be cleaned. As shown in FIG. 2, a rotary brush 21 for brushing dust and/or foreign substance adhered to the surface to be cleaned is disposed in the suction apparatus 30 to be exposed to outside through openings 35. The rotary brush 21 is rotated by a power transmitting belt 23, which receives a rotating force from the motor 25 installed in the motor chamber 12.

Operation of the conventional upright type vacuum cleaner 1 constructed as above is as follows.

When the motor 25 is driven, a strong inhalation force is generated at the openings 35 of the suction apparatus 35. Due to such an inhalation force, air flows into the dust collecting chamber 11 of the cleaner body 10 along with dust and/or foreign substances laid on or adhered to the surface to be cleaned.

Also, a rotating force of the motor 25 is transmitted to the rotary brush 21 through the power transmitting belt 23 and, thus, the rotary brush 21 is rotated to brush the dust/or foreign substance adhered to the surface to be cleaned, thereby efficiently removing the dust/or foreign substance.

On the other hand, air flowing into the cleaner body 10 is filtered through the dust filter installed in the dust collecting chamber 11. Air having the dust and/or foreign substance removed therefrom through the dust filter is discharged to outside via the motor chamber 12.

In the conventional upright type vacuum cleaner 1 constructed as above, however, when air laden with the dust and/or foreign substance flows through the openings 35 of the suction apparatus 30, the dust and/or foreign substance can be moved onto the power transmitting belt 23 along the rotary brush 21, thereby contaminating the power transmitting belt 23. In particular, if a foreign substance, such as hair and string, sticks to the power transmitting belt 23, the power transmitting belt 23 cannot effectively transmit the rotating force of the motor 25 to the rotary brush 21, and thereby the rotary brush 21 cannot rotate well.

To solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 2, the power transmitting belt 23 is disposed in a belt mounting part 32 of a suction body 31, and isolated from the rotary brush 21. The belt mounting part 32 is constructed to be closed from the outside so that the power transmitting belt 23 therein can be isolated from dust and/or foreign substance from not only the rotary brush 21, but also a lower portion or bottom of the suction body 21.

However, in the conventional vacuum cleaner having the belt mounting part 32, since the power transmitting belt 23 is rotated at a high speed by the motor 25 in operation, it produces a heat of high temperature due to friction with a driving pulley 28 connected to a driving shaft 26 of the motor 25 and a driven pulley 29 formed at the rotary brush 21. Such a heat of high temperature can not escape from the belt mounting part 32 to outside, but remains in the belt mounting part 32 due to the closed structure thereof thereby deteriorating the power transmitting belt 23. As a result, when the power transmitting belt 23 is used for a long time, the power transmitting belt 23 may be lengthened or damaged so as to not effectively transmit the rotating force of the motor 25 to the rotary brush 21 or to reduce life span.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in order to solve the above problems in the related art. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved suction apparatus and a cleaning device having the same, that is constructed to remove a heat of high temperature produced at a power transmitting belt for transmitting a rotating force of motor to a rotary brush.

The above aspect is achieved by providing a suction apparatus of cleaning device comprising: a suction body; a rotary brush rotatably disposed in the suction body, and brushing dust and/or foreign substance of a surface to be cleaned in rotation; a power transmitting belt installed in a belt mounting part formed in the suction body, and transmitting a rotating force of a motor installed adjacent to the suction body to the rotary brush; and an air circulation part sending air in the belt mounting part to outside to remove a heat produced at the power transmitting belt.

The air circulation part may comprises an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part, and an air blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be movable by the power transmitting belt, and sending air through the air flow opening. At this time, the blowing fan may be provided with a rotating shaft rotatably disposed at the belt mounting part and having a fan driving pulley coming in contact with the power transmitting belt.

Alternatively, the air circulation part may comprises an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part, and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be workable by the motor, and sending air through the air flow opening. At this time, the blowing fan may be provided with a rotating shaft having a rotating gear connected with a driving shaft of the motor.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning device is provided that includes: a cleaner body having a motor chamber in which a motor is installed; and a suction apparatus pivotally installed on the cleaner body to be movable along a surface to be cleaned, and inhaling dust and/or foreign substance of a surface to be cleaned by an inhalation force produced at the motor chamber. The suction apparatus of the cleaning device may comprises: a suction body; a rotary brush rotatably disposed in the suction body, and brushing the dust and/or foreign substance of the surface to be cleaned in rotation; a power transmitting belt disposed in a belt mounting part formed in the suction body, and transmitting a rotating force of the motor to the rotary brush; and an air circulation part sending air in the belt mounting part to outside to remove a heat produced at the power transmitting belt.

The air circulation part may comprises an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part, and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be movable by the power transmitting belt, and sending air through the air flow opening. At this time, the blowing fan may be provided with a rotating shaft rotatably disposed on the belt mounting part and having a fan driving pulley coming in contact with the power transmitting belt.

Alternatively, the air circulation part may comprises an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part, and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be workable by the motor, and sending air through the air flow opening. At this time, the blowing fan may be provided with a rotating shaft having a rotating gear connected with a driving shaft of the motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The above aspects and other advantages of the present invention will be more apparent by describing an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional upright type vacuum cleaner;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a suction apparatus of the upright type vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a upright type vacuum cleaner having a suction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are perspective views showing the suction apparatus of the upright type vacuum cleaner of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing an air circulation part of the suction apparatus of the upright type vacuum cleaner of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing a modified air circulation part of the suction apparatus of the upright type vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing figures, it should be understood that like reference numerals refer to like features and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a suction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and a cleaning device having the same will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing figures.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing an upright type vacuum cleaner 100 in which a suction apparatus having an air circulation part 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upright type vacuum cleaner 100 comprises a cleaner body 110, and a suction apparatus 130.

The cleaner body 110 is divided into a dust collecting chamber 111 and a motor chamber 112. The dust collecting chamber 111, in which a dust filter (not shown) is installed, is disposed at an upper portion of the cleaner body 110. The dust collecting chamber 111 is opened and closed by a cover 113. The motor chamber 112, in which a motor 170 (see FIG. 4) for providing an inhalation force required to the suction apparatus 130 is installed, is disposed at a lower portion of the cleaner body 110.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the suction apparatus 130 functions to suck in air laden with dust and/or foreign substance when the motor 170 in the motor chamber 112 generates the inhalation force. The suction apparatus 130 is provided with a suction body 131, a rotary brush 121, a power transmitting belt 123, a belt mounting part 132 and an air circulation part 150.

The suction body 131 is pivotally connected to the motor chamber 112 of the cleaner body 110, and has wheels 103 disposed at rear sides thereof. The wheels 103 allow the suction body 131 to move along a surface to be cleaned.

The rotary brush 121 is rotatably installed in a brush mounting part 133 formed in the suction body 131. The rotary brush 121 serves to brush the dust and/or foreign substance adhered to the surface to be cleaned when being rotated by the power transmitting belt 123.

At a bottom side of the suction body 131, a brush cover 135 for covering the rotary brush 121 is detachably installed. The brush cover 135 is provided with openings 135 a and a pulley cover 135 b. The openings 135 a sucks in the air laden with the dust and/or the foreign substance, and exposes the rotary brush 121 to outside. The pulley cover 135 b covers up a driven pulley 129 formed on a shaft of the rotary brush 121.

The power transmitting belt 123 serves to transmit a rotating force from the motor 170 installed in the motor chamber 112 to the rotary brush 121. The power transmitting belt 123 interconnects between a driving pulley 128 formed at an end of driving shaft 171 of the motor 170 and the driven pulley 129 formed at the rotary brush 121.

The power transmitting belt 123 is composed of a timing belt having an inner circumferential surface in a gear shape. The driving and driven pulleys 128 and 129 coming in contact with the power transmitting belt 123 have outer circumferential surfaces formed in gear shapes corresponding to that of the power transmitting belt 123.

Alternatively, the power transmitting belt 123 can be formed of a plane belt instead of the timing belt. In this case, the driving and driven pulleys 128 and 129 coming in contact with the power transmitting belt 123 have outer circumferential surfaces formed in plane shapes corresponding to that of the power transmitting belt 123.

The belt mounting part 132 is formed in the suction body 131 between the driving pulley 128 and the driven pulley 129. The belt mounting part 132 serves to receive the power transmitting belt 123, and to close up the power transmitting belt 123 on outside thereby to isolate it from the dust and/or foreign substances.

As shown in FIG. 5, the belt mounting part 132 is provided with first and second partitions 132 a and 132 b, and a connecting wall 132 c. The first and second partitions 132 a and 132 b are disposed in a direction of intersecting with the brush mounting part 133 to communicate with the pulley cover 135 b at a rear side of the brush mounting part 133. At the first partition 132 a, a shaft hole 172 is formed to receive the driving shaft 171 of the motor 170. The connecting wall 132 c interconnects between the first and second partitions 132 a and 132 b at a rear side of the first and second partitions 132 a and 132 b.

Further, the belt mounting part 132 is opened and closed by the belt checking cover 160 for checking the power transmitting belt 123. The belt checking cover 160 is pivotally connected to the brush cover 135 at one end thereof, and detachably combined with the connecting wall 132 c at the other end thereof. Since composition and operation of such a belt checking cover 160 are in the well-known in the art, detailed description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4 through 6, the air circulation part 150 comprises an air flow opening 151 and an air blowing fan 153. The air circulation part 150 serves to remove a heat of high temperature produced at the power transmitting belt 123 due to friction with the driving pulley 128 and the driven pulley 129 in operation of the vacuum cleaner 100.

The air flow opening 151 is composed of a plurality of holes in a circular shape formed at the second partition 132 b of the belt mounting part 132. Here, the air flow opening 151 is illustrated and explained as composed of the plurality of holes in the circular shape, but instead of them, it can be composed of one or more holes in other shape, for example an elliptic shape, a rectangular shape, etc. through which air can smoothly pass and which can be easily fabricated.

The air blowing fan 153 is supported in support holes 156 and 157 of the first and second partitions 132 a and 132 b by the rotating shaft 155. The air blowing fan 153 serves to send air in the belt mounting part 132 to outside through the air flow opening 151 and thereby to remove the heat of the high temperature produced at the power transmitting belt 123. On the rotating shaft 155, a fan driving pulley 154 is formed to come in contact with the power transmitting belt 123. The fan driving pulley 154 has an outer circumferential surface in a gear shape corresponding to that of the power transmitting belt 123.

Accordingly, when the power transmitting belt 123 is rotated by the driving pulley 128 formed on the driving shaft 171 of the motor 170, the fan driving pulley 154 rotates the rotating shaft 155, so that the air blowing fan 153 sends air in the belt mounting part 132 through the air flow opening 151 to outside. As a result, the heat of the high temperature produced at the power transmitting belt 123 due to the friction with the driving pulley 128 and the driven pulley 129 in rotation of the power transmitting belt 123 is cooled, and thereby the power transmitting belt 123 is prevented from being lengthened or damaged due to being exposed to the heat of the high temperature for a long time.

In the embodiment of the present invention as described above, the suction apparatus 130 is illustrated and explained as having a structure which the belt mounting part 132 includes the second partition 132 b and the air circulation part 150 has the air flow opening 151 formed at the second partition 132 b, but this should not be considered as limiting. For example, the suction apparatus 130 can be constructed such that the belt mounting part 142 does not include the second partition 132 b and the air circulation part 150 has an air flow opening (not shown) formed at an outer wall 131 a of the suction body 131, thereby a space for installing the air blowing fan 153 being increased.

Hereinafter, operation of the upright type vacuum cleaner 100 having the suction apparatus 130 as described above will now be described with reference to FIG. 3 through FIG. 6.

When the motor 170 is driven, a strong inhalation force is generated at the openings 135 a formed at the brush cover 135 of the suction body 131. Due to such an inhalation force, air flows into the dust collecting chamber 111 of the cleaner body 110 along with dust and/or foreign substance laid on or adhered to a surface to be cleaned.

Also, a rotating force of the motor 170 is transmitted to the power transmitting belt 123 through the driving pulley 128 formed on the end of the driving shaft 171 of the motor 170. The rotating force of transmitted to the power transmitting belt 123 is then transmitted to the rotary brush 121 through the driven pulley 129 formed at the rotary brush 121. As a result, the rotary brush 121 is rotated to brush the dust and/or foreign substance adhered to the surface to be cleaned, and thereby the dust and/or foreign substance adhered thereto is efficiently urged into the opening 135 a of the brush cover 135.

Further, when the power transmitting belt 123 is rotated by the driving pulley 128, the fan driving pulley 154 rotates the rotating shaft 155. Thus, the air blowing fan 153 sends air in the belt mounting part 132 through the air flow opening 151 to outside. As a result, a heat of high temperature produced at the power transmitting belt 123 is removed from the belt mounting part 132. Accordingly, even though the power transmitting belt 123 is used for a long time, the power transmitting belt 123 is prevented from being lengthened or damaged due to being exposed to the heat of the high temperature thereby not to effectively transmit the rotating force of the motor 170 to the rotary brush 121 or to reduce life span.

On the other hand, air flowed into the cleaner body 110 is filtered through the dust filter installed in the dust collecting chamber 111. Then, air having the dust and/or foreign substance removed therefrom through the dust filter is discharged to outside via the motor chamber 112.

FIG. 7 shows a modified air circulation part 150′ of the suction apparatus 130 according to the present invention.

The air circulation part 150′ comprises an air flow opening (not shown) and an air blowing fan 153′. The air flow opening is formed at the belt mounting part 132, and the air blowing fan 153′ is installed in the belt mounting part 132 to be driven by the motor 170.

Like as the air flow opening 151 of the air circulation part 150, the air flow opening of air circulation part 150′ is composed of a plurality of holes in a circular shape formed at the second partition 132 b of the belt mounting part 132.

The air blowing fan 153′ is supported in the support holes 156 and 157 of the first and second partitions 132 a and 132 b by a rotating shaft 155′. On the rotating shaft 155′, a rotation gear 154′ is formed. The rotation gear 154′ is connected to the driving gear 158 which is coaxially formed with the driving pulley 128 on the driving shaft 171 of the motor 170.

Accordingly, when the driving shaft 171 of the motor 170 is rotated, the rotation gear 154′, which is connected to the driving gear 158 formed on the driving shaft 171, rotates the rotating shaft 155′, and thereby the air blowing fan 153′ sends air in the belt mounting part 132 to outside. As a result, a heat of the high temperature produced at the power transmitting belt 123 in rotation of the power transmitting belt 123 is removed from the belt mounting part 132, and thereby the power transmitting belt 123 is prevented from being lengthened or damaged due to being exposed to the heat of the high temperature thereby not to effectively transmit the rotating force of the motor 170 to the rotary brush 121 or to reduce life span.

As apparent from the foregoing description, the suction apparatus according to the present invention and the cleaning device having the same comprises the air circulation part that can remove the heat of the high temperature produced at the power transmitting belt due to the friction with the driving pulley and the driven pulley in the belt mounting part of the suction apparatus. Therefore, even though the power transmitting belt is used for a long time, the power transmitting belt is prevented from being lengthened or damaged due to being exposed to the heat of the high temperature to lose power transmitting function or to reduce life span.

The foregoing embodiment and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 

1. A suction apparatus of a cleaning device, comprising: a suction body; a rotary brush rotatably installed in the suction body, and brushing dust and/or foreign substance of a surface to be cleaned during rotation; a power transmitting belt disposed in a belt mounting part formed in the suction body, the power transmitting belt transmitting a rotating force of motor installed adjacent to the suction body to the rotary brush; and an air circulation part sending air in the belt mounting part to outside to remove a heat produced at the power transmitting belt.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air circulation part comprises: an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part; and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be movable by the power transmitting belt, the blowing fan sending air through the air flow opening.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the blowing fan comprises a rotating shaft rotatably disposed at the belt mounting part and having a fan driving pulley coming in contact with the power transmitting belt.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air circulation part comprises: an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part; and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be workable by the motor, the blowing fan sending air through the air flow opening.
 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the blowing fan comprises a rotating shaft having a rotating gear connected with a driving shaft of the motor.
 6. A cleaning device comprising: a cleaner body having a motor chamber in which a motor is installed; and a suction apparatus pivotally disposed on the cleaner body to be movable along a surface to be cleaned, and sucking in dust and/or foreign substance of a surface to be cleaned by an inhalation force produced at the motor chamber; wherein the suction apparatus comprises a suction body, a rotary brush rotatably disposed in the suction body for brushing the dust and/or foreign substance of the surface to be cleaned during rotation, a power transmitting belt disposed in a belt mounting part formed in the suction body for transmitting a rotating force of the motor to the rotary brush, and an air circulation part sending air in the belt mounting part to outside to remove a heat produced at the power transmitting belt.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air circulation part comprises: an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part; and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be movable by the power transmitting belt, the blowing fan sending air through the air flow opening.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the blowing fan comprises a rotating shaft rotatably disposed on the belt mounting part and having a fan driving pulley coming in contact with the power transmitting belt.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air circulation part comprises: an air flow opening formed at the belt mounting part; and a blowing fan disposed in the belt mounting part to be workable by the motor, the blowing fan sending air through the air flow opening.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the blowing fan comprises a rotating shaft having a rotating gear connected with a driving shaft of the motor.
 11. A cleaning device comprising: a motor generating a rotational force; a suction body; a rotary brush rotatably disposed in the suction body; a mounting part formed in the suction body; a transmitting part disposed in the mounting part so that the transmitting part is isolated from dust and/or foreign substances at the rotary brush, the transmitting part transmitting the rotational force to the rotary brush; and a blowing fan disposed in the mounting part for removing heat from the mounting part.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an air flow opening in the mounting part so that the blowing fan sends air through the air flow opening.
 13. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the blowing fan is disposed on a rotating shaft disposed in the mounting part.
 14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the rotating shaft comprises a fan driving pulley in contact with the transmitting part so that the transmitting part transmits the rotational force to the blowing fan.
 15. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the rotating shaft comprises a rotating gear connected with a driving shaft of the motor so that the motor transmits the rotational force to the blowing fan. 